Haunted House
by Ominous-Shadow
Summary: Skool trips are meant to be fun...but the location was nothing less than terrifying: A haunted house; where something, somewhere, yearns for blood. Craves the game of death and the smell of fear. Once the house is entered the only way out is death.
1. The Selection

**Character Ages:**  
Gaz 15 years old  
Dib 17 years old  
Zim 17 years old  
Jake 16 years old  
Cindy 15 years old

**NOTE: **The Gaz in this story happens to be a bit nicer than the TV show Gaz.  
**

* * *

**

**Haunted House**

It was an early school morning and class was just settling into their wooden green desks. The green skinned boy, Zim, took a seat. The chair squeaked and Zim glared at it then returned his attention to the dark and scary teacher, Ms. Bitters.

"Okay class, the Administration office has chose the five students whom will be going on the two week field trip to the supposedly _Haunted_ House."

Dib leaned forward in his seat with a large grin of anticipation. He had to go, he was the paranormal Investigator of the school. He saw movement from the corner of his eyes and peeked over to see Zim suddenly trying to balance a pencil on his 'nose'.

"The two students fromthis class are Zim," Zim dropped his pencil, eyes wide, "Dib and others who are not from this class."

Dib raised his arms above his head in victory but then shot a semi-glare towards Zim who was now retrieving his fallen pencil from the floor. When he sat up Zim returned the glare then faced front to listen to the instructions being given by Ms. Bitters.

"You will be staying a whole two weeks, food will be prepared for you, beds are supplied, but you must bring clothes for yourselves. By the way you three are Doooooommmmeeeed. DOOOOOMMMM-Dib?"

"What about showers? Will we be allowed to shower?"

"Yes, yes you will. Yes, Zim?"

"Well, Ms. Bitters will there be any way that I can bring my dog, GIR?"

"No, no there isn't. Anymore questions?"

Dib raised his hand and Ms. Bitters growled silently, narrowing her eyes and Dib set his hand down on the desk, fiddling with the wooden corners.

"Who are the other students going?"

"As I was saying, the three of you will be doooooommed, doooooomed, dooooooooomed."

Dib frowned and turned his attention out the window. Outside, across the grass filled playground stood a lone leafless tree. A black raven perched amongst a branch with piercing red eyes. Dib jumped a bit when a loud crash of thunder suddenly filled the silence of his mind. Looking up, Dib noticed that dark ominous clouds were forming in a circular pattern around the school, almost like a ring.

Dib gave an involuntary shiver as an ice cold sensation went up through his spine. He pulled his trench coat tighter around him, believing himself to be cold and looked back from the clouds to the tree. The black raven was no longer there.

* * *

This is my second story! I hope you like it so far.  
The next chapters will be better than this. 


	2. A fright in the Night

A cold wind blew outside causing the house to shift and make a low hum. Inside, was dark and the air was full of dust as if the place hadn't been cleaned in years. Cobwebs hung everywhere especially in the corners of the ceilings. So far there were no signs of paranormal activity.

Zim walked away from the group of four humans close to the wall where he felt somewhat safer than being out in the center of the room. He leaned against the wall that had torn and stained white and pink flowered wallpaper. The group had just gotten to the house and it was midnight because Ms. Bitters thought it would be hauntingly fun. He rolled his lavender eyes at the group. Dib was staying near Gaz, obviously being the protective older brother and the other two humans were literally clinging to each other. The girl wore a pink dress and had blonde hair and aqua blue eyes, her name was Cindy and so far she was a jerk. The boy clinging to her wore a red shirt and blue jeans with spiked green hair, his name was Jake.

Gaz walked away to the wall where Zim was, nodding her head to acknowledge his presence, she leaned against the wall next to him. She was obviously none to thrilled about this trip.

Dib who was studying every last speck of detail in the house suddenly realized his sister's absence and looked around frantically.

"GAZ?" He raised his voice.

The voice echoed in the home causing Cindy and Jake to whimper and cling tighter together. Gaz rolled her eyes and pushed herself off the wall to her brother's side. He gave her a pat on the back causing Gaz to grit her teeth tightly to stop herself from beating the pulp out of him.

"Shall we find the bedrooms?" Dib questioned his suggestion.

Everyone minus Zim nodded. They all huddled in close as they walked further into the home. Zim sighed and pushed himself from the wall and went to follow the others.

"Okay, since there are five of us well have to have three to one room and two to another." Dib stated.

Cindy and Jake raised their hands in unison and rushed into a room, slamming the door behind them. There were rustling sounds from inside. Dib sighed, he really didn't want to share a room with his enemy but it looked as though there wasn't much chose to the matter. Gaz left the boys as she walked into their room.

"So…" Dib said.

"Human, if you do anything to prove of alien existence, I won't hesitate to kill you." Zim warned.

The alien left into the room where Gaz was leaving Dib speechless outside. He wouldn't try and prove of Zim's existence, well, at least not here. That was the least of his concerns. Now he needed to focus on finding ghosts or zombies in the house. Snapping out of his stupor, Dib lingered into the room after Zim.

Closing the door behind him Dib looked up to find Gaz already lying in one of the two beds. Dib suddenly realized there were only two beds. No way would he share a bed with Gaz or an alien and he'd never let anyone sleep with his sister. Before he could even point out the problem, Zim had already made himself comfortable on the red velvet sofa lying beside the large window in the corner of the room.

"Thanks, Zim." He said.

"Yeah, yeah. Do anything human, and you die."

"I know. Night Gaz."

Gaz mumbled something incoherent and Dib jumped up into the large white bed finding himself sinking slightly into the mattress. He pulled the covers up to his neck and looked around the room one last time before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Zim on the other hand was having a hard time trying to sleep. Something about this room was sending chills down his spine causing him to curl up on himself. Having no blanket he thought he was just cold.

After so long, Zim's eyes grew heavy and they closed. He listened to the silent creaks in the house, the settling floorboards of the wooden floors. He had only just drowsed when his eyes snapped opened in a sudden jolt of alarm. His eyes shot skyward. Something was up there, on the ceiling. He could feel eyes on him, but he couldn't see anything.

Suddenly the room seemed to darken. Zim's heart pounded loudly and he was fearful that whatever was in the room could hear it. A shadow suddenly loomed over him, but there was nothing there to create a shadow. He sat up fast, hands groping around for anything, and then they instinctively went to his pack. It opened up and he quickly pulled out a metal object and pressed a rubber button. The light came on and he aimed the flashlight at every corner of the room and shined it on the ceiling. Nothing was there.

_There is nothing there! _He thought, though his insides were still tense and his breathing was in short breaths. Had there been anything there at all? Suddenly there was a groan and his heart stopped and shot up to his throat. He flashed the light to the beds, letting out a long raspy breath when he found only Dib, apparently having a nightmare. He was squirming around in the bed; his sheets were getting tangled around his body like a white serpent.

Zim slid off the sofa; he swallowed hard and quickly peeked under the sofa, shining the light around. Nothing. He shivered, Goosebumps decorated his green skin. He then bolted to the door, fast, and pressed the silver button on the knob down. With a click the door was locked. Even though Zim knew ghosts could go through walls he felt safer knowing that the door was locked. The click of the lock caused Dib to jerk awake.

"Zim? What are you doing? Alien planning?"

"Why would I do that here? In a Haunted House?" Zim's voice was shaky.

"What's wrong? You look pale."

"I…it's nothing Dib-human. I just thought I saw something. Now go back to sleep or suffer the wrath of Zim."

Dib rolled his eyes and collapsed into instant slumber. Zim was like a deer in headlights because he was stock still feeling a presence again, but this time he tried to ignore it. He told himself it was all in his head. He jumped onto the sofa and curled in on himself, eyes darting everywhere. Nothing was there, his eyes once again grew heavy and they closed without his consent. He quickly fell into a deep slumber.


	3. Corpse and a Closet

Sorry it took a while to update. School has been really busy for me...so much afterschool activities. Anyway, on to the story!

* * *

The sun rose, rays of light seeping through the small holes of the drawn curtains and a sleeping form rolled over with a grown.

Cindy didn't want to get up now. She needed her beauty sleep. There was a shifting in the beds mattress as her sleeping buddy, Jake, moved. Cindy gave a small smile, keeping her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around the warm slim bare chest of her boyfriend.

She drew circles on his back with her pink-coated nails. She stopped realizing his skin wasn't smooth as it used to be, in fact, it seemed to be coated with wrinkles and the skin was more like a rough hide, almost crusty. She paid his skins rough texture no heed. She gave a tired yawn emitting a small squeak from it.

"Morning Jake." She murmured.

She pressed her pale face into the curve where his shoulder met his neck and nuzzled it. He smelled of dust, mildew, and blood, but the smell that caused her bones to chill was that he smelled of death. She pulled away, eyes still closed, brow furrowing in confusion and a slight tinge of fear prickling in her chest.

"You reek of garbage and graveyard. I think you need a showe-…"

She opened her aqua blue eyes and froze. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck pricked up and her muscles were tense. Jake was lying right next to her. What was left of him anyway. His arms were torn from his sides and now lay in a bloody puddle at the foot of the bed. His skull was smashed in, dried blood hung in his hair and on his face. The cracked skull revealed pure white bone and his eyes were pulled from their sockets leaving only black holes that went an inch or two deep. His skin was black, burned, as if by fire.

Cindy whimpered, hands to her mouth, body in a fit of shaking. Suddenly she tore the sheets off her and him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" She screamed like a madwoman.

She jumped off the bed, tripping over the bloody chopped off arms and fell onto her butt. She stood fast racing over to the door, turning the knob and pulling. She pulled again, harder, twisting, pulling. The door was locked. She looked back at the bed. The corpse lay still on the bed.

Its legs lay where her feet had once laid. She suddenly had a sick feeling of being dirty and began rubbing her feet and legs, hard, with her hands. Salty tears flowing from her eyes, tears of fear.

She froze in the middle of rubbing her right foot. There was something in the room. She stood erect, eyes searching everywhere. Nothing. The corpse wasn't turning into a zombie, but there was something in the room. She was not alone.

"H-hello?" She stuttered.

There was a slight breeze blowing her hair back, but the window was shut and there were no fans in the room. Her flesh was covered in Goosebumps and her throat was tightening from tears and fear.

A noise! She turned to her right in time to see her most expensive bottle of perfume crash to the floor, shattering the glass into millions of little shards. The pink liquid spilling onto the hard wood floor.

"H-hello! I-is anyo-one there?" She backed up until her back touched the door. Suddenly the bed sheets moved and she screamed, turned around and pulled the knob. Suddenly the door opened and she fell back, regaining her balance she ran from the room, screaming bloody murder.

She ran fast, down the flight of stairs, through the hallways, finding herself in a large kitchen. It was huge, checkered black and white tiles covered the floors and the walls were a snow white with pure white cupboards that seemed to blend with the walls. Her heart was pounding and her salty tears began to sting her cheeks and her stomach churned as she had bile begin to rise up her throat.

"CINDY!"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" She screamed.

Cindy jumped back, knocking the warm hand from her shoulder and lashing out with clenched fists and sharp pink nails. She made contact with it hearing it's pained yelp. She jumped back a few feet opening her eyes to see Dib. He was cradling his arm where her nails had pierced through the black trench coat.

"I-I thought…I-," She was too frightened to speak.

"That really hurt, uh, you look pale. What happened?"

"Jake…stench…dead." Tears began welling up in her eyes again and she dove into Dib causing him to yelp in surprise. She began sobbing into his arms and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her quivering body. He held her with his left arm and rubbed her matted blonde hair with his right, in a soothing manner.

"Dib-human, what on Irk are you doing?"

Dib craned his neck back to see behind him. Zim walked into the kitchen, eyes were showing signs of a sleepless night. He stalked in, and planted himself next to the two humans.

"She saw something…I think Jake is dead or she saw something dead."

"EH? You humans cannot use your words correctly. Now, you, wormbaby," He pointed to Cindy, "Where did you see this…this thing?"

"My room…don't go…dead." She sobbed in Dibs protective arms.

"Dib-human, I will go check things out up in the bedrooms. You stay here and comfort this filthy wormbaby. By the way…where is Gaz?"

Dib frowned, "She's still sleeping, don't disturb her unless you'd like to be headless."

Zim spun around and headed out of the kitchen, walking through the long hall and began marching up the staircase. His weight caused some of the old stairs to creak in protest. He reached the top and went to Jake and Cindy's room. He had an ice-cold chill run down his spine and he shivered, involuntarily.

Taking a deep breath he grasped the gold knob and turned it. The door creaked opened. Zim's eyes were wide, muscles tense, and he was ready to flee. His fake lavender eyes scanned the room, the bed, the floor, everything. Nothing was inside.

He realized with disgust that there was only one large king sized bed in the room meaning the both of them had shared. There was a large white carpet in the center of the room and two small lamps at each side of the bed. He stepped inside the room and peered closer to the bed. He had thought he saw some movement, but there was nothing there.

"Guess no one's here."

Zim said more to convince himself than anything. He turned around and walked out of the room with a faster than normal walk and closed the door in one swift motion behind him. _Nothing is here. We are alone._ He thought and walked left down the hall heading towards the stairs. He was about to take a step down when he heard a loud thunderous bang. He jumped back from the stairs and spun around, staring down the long hall to the one door at the end of it. His heart thumped loudly and his breathing began speeding up.

He turned to make a move back down the stairs to the kitchen when he heard screaming.

"HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP!"

Zim didn't need to hear more because he turned around and raced down the hallway, opposite direction of the stairs. He passed his room and Cindy's room on the right and the Laundry room and bathroom on the left. He stopped at the front of the door at the end of the long hall. No sound. Had it been his imagination getting the best of him?

He pressed his right 'ear' to the door, listening. Suddenly he jerked back from the movement and pounding on the door. The sound was like drums of war, no, they were like wild savage drums beating with fear. The sound never ceased, the pounding continued and the door shook on its hinges.

"HELP ME! GET ME OUT OF HERE! HELP!"

The voice was that of a grown male, a deep raspy voice. Zim didn't know what to do. He had thought they, the group and himself, were the only inhabitants in this building. He began to back away from fear but froze as he heard his name.

"ZIM HELP ME. DON'T LEAVE. HELP ME, HEEEEEELLLPP! IT'S COMING, GET ME OUT. I DON'T WANT TO DIE. ZIIIIIM!"

Zim couldn't take it, he reached a gloved claw out and grasped the handle, turning it fast and throwing it opened. The door hit the wall, hard, possibly leaving a large dent. The sounds of panic ceased and Zim looked into the large walk in closet. There was nothing there. _All my imagination._ He thought to himself trying to convince himself that nothing was there, once again.

Then before Zim threw the door shut he noticed that the door only had one handle, on the outside meaning that anyone who was inside was locked in. To Zim, he got the feeling that a door like that should be left closed, never to be opened. He threw the door shut. His heart was beating wildly as he turned, walking back down the dark hall.

The loud banging started up. Zim jumped in fear, causing a scream to be released from his green lips.

"ZIM, HELP ME, DON'T LEAVE ME! ZIM. PLEASE! ZIIIIIIM."

Zim didn't look back, didn't walk, he raced down the hall as fast as his little legs would carry him. His eyes were wide and alert with fear and his heart was racing with an adrenaline rush. He raced down the stairs fast, jumping down the last five and racing down the short hall that led to the kitchen where he collided with a figure. He fell to his rump.

Zim looked up, breathless, to see Dib staring down at him.

"Zim? What's wrong? What did you see?" Dib asked with concern he never knew existed for the alien.

"I saw-I…I didn't see anything. I just thought I heard something."

"Really now, heard what?" A new voice came in.

Both boys and Cindy who was sitting at the kitchen table in the center of the room looked up at the kitchen's entrance.

* * *

Ooh! Cliffhanger...well at least to me it's a cliffhanger, LOL! Who is at the entrance?  
I will try to have the next chapter posted up soon...I just need to think of a few ideas as to what should happen next! 


	4. Silent Calls

I want to thank...  
Call Me Blue Streak, Xirbot, Invader Crystal, AND Psychogizmo for the reviews they gave! **Thank you!** Now on to the story! R&R please

* * *

Cindy burst into tears and raced forward. She dove onto the figure causing both to fall.

"ACK! Easy now…what happened?" Jake asked.

"You…I thought you…were dead." Cindy cried.

Jake looked up from where he lay pinned on the floor to Zim and Dib who had looks of pure relief. Jake tilted his head slightly and stood up, bringing up Cindy with him.

"Guys, what happened?"

"Well, Cindy said she woke up and was laying next to a corpse that she thought was you." Dib answered.

"How could I be a corpse if I was using the bathroom? I think you just imagined it sweetie. Probably a bad dream you woke up to."

Jake rubbed Cindy's blonde hair and planted kisses atop her head. She craned her head up and glared at him.

"I didn't imagine it. Just look in my room th-there is one of my b-broken perfume bottles."

Zim shook his head from side to side in disagreement then stepped forward a few steps, folding his arms across his chest.

"I do not know what this "perfume" you speak of is, but I saw nothing broken in your room."

Cindy pushed off of Jake and stepped forward facing Zim. She glared at him with a fierce and deadly glare. Zim just stood there and returned an evil sinister glare. Both staring each other down when suddenly there was a bang.

The sound echoed throughout the silent room causing everyone to jump. Then there was a loud clapping of feet racing across the floors upstairs, creaking floorboards, the footfalls became louder, heavier and more frequent as the 'thing' upstairs seemed to move faster.

"W-what's that?" Jake asked with a shiver.

"I-don't-know." Dib answered.

Suddenly the lights in the kitchen flickered; on and off, on and off. Then they went out. The room was dark. Zim fumbled around in his pack and pulled out his flashlight and pressed the rubber button. Light flickered on and he aimed at every corner. Nothing.

"Hey, Zim. Aim the light to the ceiling. The light will reflect off and illuminate the room some."

"I know that, DIB." He emphasized 'Dib' as if the name were a taboo.

He aimed the light at the ceiling and suddenly there was a scream. Everyone jumped and yelped. Zim ended up dropping his flashlight and everyone heard its crash and other softer noises as the glass to the light broke. The light was out. The scream was close, almost like the one screaming was in the room with them. Dib suddenly had a fearful thought of a green one-eyed monster with green tentacles and large sharp fangs gobbling them all up one by one.

The lights came on and everyone's gaze turned to the entry way for the kitchen. They all screamed.

"Oh shut up will you? Your voices are annoying." Gaz growled.

She walked passed them and reached into a few cupboards before finding a bowl and cereal. She got some milk from the fridge and took a seat at the table.

"Gaz…was it you that screamed?" Cindy asked.

"Yeah, I couldn't resist." She grinned evilly.

Cindy glared daggers at the younger girl and made a move as if to strike Gaz, but then decided against it and grabbed an apple for herself from the fridge.

Dib walked through the long hallway upstairs. Looking at the red painted walls that had a gold border at the top corners of the ceiling. It was beautiful. Though the walls were bare, no pictures shown, no posters, nothing. Just bare walls that were the color of blood.

Dib suddenly stopped moving. He heard a ring. Constant ringing. _What is that?_ He thought to himself. Suddenly it clicked. A phone. He followed the noise into his room where Zim was currently organizing his pack and laying out several items on the floor.

"Why don't you get the phone?"

"I don't use inferior human technology." Zim spat as he cocked a dangerous looking ray gun and then set it neatly beside five other ray guns.

"Are all the weapons necessary?"

"Yes. Something is here, Dib-worm. I know you can feel it too," Zim said suddenly feeling very awkward, "Answer the phone human."

Dib frowned and reached for the phone, pressing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

No answer. There was nothing but silence. Though no one had answer Dib had a feeling that he was not the only one on the line. He could hear raspy breathing…almost as if someone were having trouble taking air in and out of their lungs. He could just feel that something else was there, waiting, listening. Suddenly instincts overtook and out of pure fear he slammed the phone back onto its holder.

Zim jumped at the sudden noise and glared at Dib, but stopped realizing how visibly shaken Dib was.

"Who was it?"

"No one seemed to be there." Dib answered.

"Yeah, right, nothing but human lies!" Zim spat back.

The phone rang again. Dib didn't even reach for it. He looked at Zim and gave a straight challenging glare.

"You answer it." He told Zim.

"Fine, Dib-worm. Afraid of your own pathetic use of communication."

Zim picked up the phone and raised it to his ear.

"Hello?"

No one answered. Nothing but silence on the other line. Someone…or something was on the other line. Listening to him or waiting for him to speak.

"Hello? Who is this? What do you want?"

Suddenly there was a soft sound of rustling almost the sound of wind blowing the leaves of trees. Then there was a loud scream from the other end. Zim pulled away from the phone, yelping at the moment the scream came on. Once it died down Zim replaced the phone by his ear. He heard someone screaming. Someone familiar.

"HELP ME! HELP…IT'S COMING. ZIM WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? HELP ME, I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

It was the man he had heard on the other side of the closet door. Then the phone went dead silent and the loud ring signaling the person on the other end had disconnected. Zim placed the phone down and stared wide eyed at Dib. Dib just stared back offering no smile or glare. Just a blank emotionless stare.

"Dib…what was that?" Zim asked.

Gaz had decided that she wanted to snoop around. She needed some time away from the two lovebirds, Jake and Cindy. They were driving her crazy, giving each other kisses and hugging each other tightly. It was disgusting. She felt like she would've thrown up if she hadn't left.

She was walking away from the kitchen through the short red walled hall and was about to walk up the stairs when she saw movement from the corner of her eye. She paused, staring to her left into a dark family room. It held a TV. She beamed and walked down the stairs and switched on the lights. But no light came on in the room. She shrugged and walked over to the TV. She pressed the power button and the screen lit up, but no pictures came on. Just a bright gray screen. She looked around and saw a couch in the far corner of the room with a black remote on the leather surface. She walked over and snatched the remote and threw it, hard, at the TV's screen. The remote fell to the ground and the TV gave a low hum.

Images played before her eyes. Fast. Children crying, people falling from buildings, a ladder, a burning baby, murky swamps, black widows in webs, angry dogs, hissing cats, a hummingbird, a bathtub, blood, piled human corpses set afire, then the screen turned black. The power went out and Gaz found herself shaking. Those images. They were not only disturbing, but also frightening. She pulled herself away from the TV, backing out of the room fast.

She turned and held back a scream that threatened to burst from her lungs and out her mouth. She raced from the family room and up the flight of stairs. She made a right turn into her room and shut the door, hard, locking it behind her. She turned, while switching on the lights, breathing hard and gasped. She stared wide-eyed across the room at the one window by the couch Zim had slept on. The glass of the window was written on with black letters:

'0 down and 5 to go'

What was written gave her chills because there were five of them; Jake, Dib, Cindy, Zim, and herself. Did that mean something was after them? Gaz caught sight of something below it and looked to the floor. She yelped and jumped back, muscles tensed with fear. Two severed hands lay on the wood floor. They were coated with blood and the blood ran in a pool around them. They were the hands of a man; large, plump, and with fine hairs on the fingers. Those hadn't been there before, she knew it. Someone must have just placed them there. Then again she could be imagining everything and it was probably fake, but she didn't test her theory of it being an imagination because she didn't want to end up actually touching it and finding it to be real. But if someone had just placed them there then that would mean they weren't alone in this house. Someone or something was here.

A loud noise brought her back to reality and she jumped. The phone was ringing. She answered it and was met with silence. There was only that of a soft hissing noise; white noise. The static ended when the line was disconnected and the dial tone rang through her ears. The lights in the room flickered and suddenly Gaz felt really small. She jumped back not knowing what to do. The lights kept going on and off repeatedly.

Her heart was pounding so hard it hurt and her breathing sped up. The fine hairs on the back of her neck raised, a chill went down her spine, her muscles tensed, and her eyes darted everywhere in the room. She wanted to believe she was alone in the room, but deep down she knew she wasn't and that there was something in there with her. Something dangerous and not human. She could feel its presence all around her. Then the lights stopped flashing and went out. The room went dark and a scream broke the silence and rang throughout the house. All at once the screaming ceased. The lights turned back on and an eerie silence filled the air.

* * *

Please review!- I hope you liked it! **S**tay tuned for the next chapter...


	5. Call of the Dead

Alright, the next chapter! Fast updating, no? I was just having so much fun writing it I just couldn't stop. Besides what else am I supposed to do when I am sick? 

Well, ENJOY!

* * *

They were in the kitchen, sitting on the cold black and white checkered floor. Dib held his little sister, Gaz, close to him, while Zim held her ice-cold hand, trying to warm it. Gaz was pale and looked as if death had loomed over, her hair had less shine than it usually had. Gaz's eyes were dull and haunted and they didn't carry their normal gleam. Zim and Dib had both raced upstairs when they heard her scream and found her lying unconscious on the floor. Dib had panicked because he thought she was dead until he saw her chest rising and falling. They took her to the kitchen because of Zim's request of being away from the bedrooms because of the phone.

"There was nothing in the room with you." Dib assured his sister.

"Something was there. I know there was." Gaz shot back in a weak voice.

Zim rubbed her hand harder after feeling some of the heat return to her. Gaz just stared around, dazed almost, then she sat up moving away from Dib's protective hold. She pulled her hand from Zim and stood up. She saw that the lights were on, must be night.

"Gaz, are you sure you should be standing. I really think you should lie back down." Dib suggested.

Gaz turned a fierce glare at him and frowned when she realized something.

"Did you guys see any blood? Hands that were cut off at the wrists?" She asked.

"No." Both boys said in unison.

Gaz turned her gaze towards the exit of the kitchen down the hall at the stairs. Should she risk going back up there? Find the hands? Were they even there in the first place? She shook her head and turned to the guys again.

"Where are the two idiots?"

"Jake and Cindy? They are up in there room. They asked for us not to disturb them." Dib answered.

"Disgusting humans." Zim shook his head.

Dib gave Zim a look before smiling, "Lets get Gaz upstairs and get to bed."

Zim nodded. Together, they escorted Gaz upstairs for a night.

Cindy and Jake smiled together and hugged each other. There was a ringing.

"What's that? It sounds like a phone." Cindy said.

"It is…it's coming from Dib's room."

"HOORAY! Maybe I can call friends now that I know there is a phone in here."

She jumped off the bed leaving Jake and ran into the other room next door. She turned on the lights and the room brightened. She dove for the phone, literally, and landed on her elbows already twisting the cord in her fingers. She held the receiver up to her ear.

"Hello?"

Ring around the rosy.

"Hello? Why are you singing? Is this a school?"

Pocket full of posy.

"Little kids? Is this some kind of prank phone call?"

Ashes, ashes we all fall down.

"Can you please stop singing?"

Ashes, ashes we all fall DOWN!

The singing ended with a scream of 'Down'. Cindy pulled the phone away then replaced it back. She heard no singing; just the constant ring that told her the line had been disconnected. She glared at the phone and clenched her free fist.

"What little jerks. I will show them."

She looked around and finally found the button on the phone. She hit redial. The phone rang and someone picked up, but said nothing.

"Hello? Is this the people who just prank phone called us?"

Raspy breathing on the other line.

"What jerks! Why don't you talk? You are so mean!"

A hiss.

"What are you doing?"

There was a rustling noise.

"H-Hello? Look this isn't funny. Who is this?"

Silence.

"Okay then…uh-good bye now."

She hung up. She felt a bit nervous about that call. No not nervous, she was scared. Maybe she should call the police. Cindy nodded and picked up the phone once more, but this time there was no dial tone. The phone was dead. She heard the door slam. She jumped up and slammed the phone back down and saw the door had closed on her. _Thump._ Something was banging on the door. _Thump, thump._

"Hello? Jake?"

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

"Jake, this isn't funny."

_Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump._

"JAKE! STOP! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

_Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump._

"GO AWAY!"

The pounding stopped and the door slowly opened itself. Cindy stepped back a bit, eyes wide. Nothing was there.

"If that is you Gaz…I will personally hit you upside the head, you little witch."

The lights in the room flickered for a moment then went out. Cindy gasped and backed away until she hit something. She thought it was the wall, but when she turned to look and she screamed. The lights turned on and Cindy was nowhere to be seen.

The sun rose up, greeting everyone to a wonderful morning. In the kitchen, Zim, Dib, and Gaz were eating there breakfast.

"So…what is this again?" The alien asked.

Zim was shoving his breakfast around with a fork with disgust clearly written on his face.

"Its called waffles, Zim." Dib sighed.

Zim snarled at Dib and cut a piece off the corner of his honey colored waffle. He sniffed it and then stuck it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. He looked to Dib and smiled sheepishly.

"This is…actually quite good."

"Told you." Dib replied.

Gaz had dibs on the pizza and was already eating two pieces. They were white cheese with red pepperonis. She took a bite and chewed thoroughly. Dib finished his two waffles and gulped down his milk. Zim had only just begun his second waffle when Jake raced into the kitchen, panting, as if he had just run the marathon.

"Jake?" Dib questioned.

"I can't find Cindy. Is she in here?"

"No." Gaz stated.

Jake stared as Zim continued eating his waffle; Dib put away his plates, and Gaz chewing on her pizza.

"Aren't you even the least bit concerned? She could be in trouble."

"Eh? Yes, yes, we are concerned Human. Now, be gone with you, I must finish this wa-full."

Zim waved Jake away with his three-clawed hand. Jake growled and turned to Dib who turned the knob for the faucet. No water came out.

"HEY! I need to wash my hands here." Dib complained.

He turned the other knob and still no water came free. Zim rolled his lavender eyes and jumped up from his seat carrying over his now empty plate. He set the plate into the sink and fumbled with the knobs, nothing.

"Darn human technology."

"Zim…this isn't technology."

"Shut-up, Dib-worm!" Zim spat.

He turned both knobs into the off position and then the sink gurgled. Zim froze fearing water would splash all over him and he forgot to bring his paste. Fortunately for him nothing came out. He raised a clenched fist and brought it down onto the faucet. The impact made a loud squeak and suddenly water shot up from the disposal. Zim screamed and jerked back. Dib positioned himself in front of Zim, protecting him from the spill of water.

Dib gagged at the stench. This wasn't water. He looked at his trench coat and gasped. Thick red liquid clung to him.

"Blood?" Dib gasped.

"Why would blood be in the sink? I am sure its just colored water." Gaz suggested.

"Gaz, that has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard you say."

"I know. Just trying to lighten the mood." She gave a slight smile.

"You lightening the mood? Wow, once in a lifetime moment." Dib grinned despite the situation.

Zim rolled his eyes and stood up from the floor where he had fallen and walked over to the fridge to grab some bottled water so Dib could clean himself up. He opened it up and the light flicked on inside. Zim reached deep inside and pulled out a water bottle. Thick, red liquid was inside. The bottle had been opened. He reached for another and pulled out another red liquid. The bottles didn't contain red liquid before. He peered inside near the bottom of the fridge. He pulled open a bottom drawer and screamed.

"AAAAHHH!"

He jumped back, eyes wide in fear. Dib and everyone else looked over. Dib walked up and peered inside, his insides churned and he felt bile rushing up his throat. He pulled away and doubled over. He barfed. Gaz, curious, walked over and looked down. She wanted to scream, but also wanted to be strong in front of everyone.

Inside the bottom drawer of the fridge was Cindy's decapitated head. Her hair was clean, face clean, but the drawer was flooded with red blood. Jake walked over and screamed.

"CINDY! NO!"

Zim, despite his growing fear, leaned in closer to the head. This was odd. The muscles never relaxed upon her death. Her mouth was pulled back in what looked to be a pained scream. Her blue eyes were still wet and wide. Then a question popped into Zim's mind: Where is the body? Dib walked over, yellow barf and drool clung to his mouth and some caught onto his trench coat. He was pale, almost matching the pure white-checkered tiles of the floor.

"Guys…what the heck is going on here?" Jake asked.

Zim turned to Dib who turned to Gaz who was staring at the disembodied head. No one knew how to answer.

"I don't know, wormbaby, but I think we can fight off whatever this thing is." Zim stated.

A ring. From upstairs. The phone.

Dib and Zim stared at each other.

"FINE! I will get it." Zim sighed.

Everyone raced upstairs and walked into the room. Zim picked up the phone and listened. Nothing but the static of white noise played in the background. Zim couldn't take it anymore and handed the phone to Jake who eagerly snatched it away.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Are you the one who killed my Cindy? What did you do to her? Why did you hurt her?"

"You."

It was Cindy's voice, though her voice was low and frighteningly evil, she also sounded as if she were having trouble breathing, taking in raspy breaths.

"What? Cindy? Cindy baby it's me!"

"You are."

"I am what?"

"You are all dead."

The line disconnected. Jake pulled the phone away and slammed it down. His eyes were full of unshed tears.

"Who was it? Someone was obviously talking." Dib said.

"It was…Cindy."

"Eh? Cindy is dead, wormbaby." Zim rolled his eyes.

"She said were all dead."

Jake shook his head furiously and raced out of the room. Zim snarled and picked up the phone, placing it to his ear. There was no signal…the line was out. The phone was dead.

"It's dead."

"Who's dead?" Dib asked obviously not paying attention.

"The phone…it's dead."

Gaz turned to the window and gasped. Zim and Dib looked over and stared with immense fear. On the window was written with black letters was:

**1 down and 4 to go.**

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter! I will try and have the next chapter up soon.**


	6. Trapped and Fighting

Thank you everyone for all your reviews! Now I give you Chapter 6! Enjoy!

* * *

"Calm down Jake!" Dib cried out.

Jake was pacing nonstop around the kitchen. His hands were clenched tightly onto his head and his teeth were tight together. Tears of fear, sorrow, and confusion slid down his cheeks.

"No! Something is here. We-I have to get out of here!" He said.

"We can leave whenever we want…I am not leaving until I find out what is going on here. But anyone else who would like to leave may because the front door is right out the kitchen and through the hall on your right."

"Okay…okay…I am leaving. I don't want to die like you freaks. I at least have a life…my beautiful Cindy is dead because of this dumb trip! It's a school trip! School trips are about safety and having fun…not blood and people dying!"

Jake slammed a fist down onto the kitchen table making it shake and a cup of milk spill on top. Gaz's pizza milk.

"You humans are stupid, if you want to leave then leave, stop wasting everyone else's time by explaining why you are leaving." Zim spat.

"SHUT UP! Just shut up you green skinned freak!" Jake stalked over to Zim.

"You dare speak to me like that? I AM ZIM!" Zim growled.

"I know who you are, you don't have to act stupid just to explain your name!"

Jake towered over Zim by a whole foot, but this inferior being didn't at all faze Zim. Zim just kept his head straight, but let his eyes stare up into Jake's face giving him an evil or angered look.

"Filthy wormbaby. Leave now and stop talking!"

"Fine! I will leave. I was going to leave anyway." Jake snarled, whipping around for the exit.

Jake stomped out of the room and through the short hall making a right turn and heading straight for the front door. No way was he staying to be the next victim. He wanted to live, to live for his Cindy! He reached out for the handle and turned the knob and pulled. Nothing. He jerked the door harder. It wouldn't budge. He checked the locks, but they remained unlocked. It was as if the door was super-glued shut.

"I thought you were leaving!"

Jake spun around to see Zim glaring at him, tapping his right boot in annoyance.

"Shut up! The darn door is shut and won't open."

"You are just a weakling."

Zim walked up and grasped the handle and pulled. He flushed in embarrassment and pulled harder, still the door would not open. After ten minutes of trying to pull the door open Zim was breathing heavily the Membrane kids had come in to see what was going on.

"I have watched so many Paranormal Investigator shows, so stand back! I know what to do." Dib beamed.

Gaz rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what Dib was going to be attempting. Dib brought his leg up and with all his strength he slammed it forward, kicking the door. The room seemed to quiver a bit from the pressure applied to the kick. Dib's face flushed red. Things were not going according to plan. Then there was a ripping noise from above. All eyes went skyward. That's when a body fell to the ground.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Their screams echoed throughout the building.

The body was headless and obviously drained of its blood. It wore a pink dress and the pale fingers had pink-coated nails on them. The body belonged to Cindy. The skin was bruised around the stub of her neck where it was cut off and around her wrists.

"Oh my god!" Jake whimpered.

Gaz was horrified and she didn't bother to hide her fear this time. Dib was planted behind Zim, hiding, as if believing the body would somehow come to life and kill them all. Zim's green skin paled several shades and his fake lavender eyes widened. This was completely unexpected.

After several minutes, which seemed to be endless hours for everyone, Jake lost it.

"Oh! That's just wonderful! I now find my dead girlfriends body! What kind of a trip is this? Is this for the most despised students so that teachers won't have to deal with us or something? That's it!" Jake stomped off.

"Where is he going?" Dib asked.

"I don't know." Zim shrugged, still eyeing the headless corpse.

Jake returned, holding a bread knife in his hands. Zim and Dib yelped and jumped back several feet as did Gaz. Jake hadn't gone crazy enough to kill them had he? Instead of slaughtering the three, Jake stood in front of the door and raised the knife. He brought it down into the wood. There was a loud, hollow ring. Jake dropped the knife after yelping and tending to his pained, pink hands. The door was not wooden. It was some sort of steel or metal.

"Now what? I can't leave…WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! JUST LIKE CINDY SAID!" Jake screamed.

"No one says we're going to die…wait, she did…but I mean-we are not going to let anyone decide our fate. That just sounded so dumb, didn't it?" Dib asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Okay then…lets just kill whatever this thing is before it kills us, okay?"

"I couldn't of said it better myself, Dib-worm." Zim gave a smile.

"Okay, well you two are clearly stupid. First of all, we have no idea what it is. Second, we have no idea how to kill it. And three we don't even know if this thing 'can' die." Gaz stated.

"You know…she's right." Dib sighed.

Everyone turned towards Jake after hearing some thumps. He was currently trying to lift Cindy's headless corpse off the ground.

"What are you doing?" They all asked in unison.

"Disposing the body. She would've wanted that."

He walked from the room. The lights in the room buzzed and flickered.

"NO!" Zim cried out.

The lights remained on as if obeying the frightened request.

"Okay…I think that everyone must be with another at all times." Dib suggested.

"Okay. I say I go with Jake." Gaz said.

"What? Why not with me? Or…I hate to say it, but I would even let you be with Zim! Why Jake? I don't trust him."

"You two annoy me. I don't know him enough for him to annoy me. Besides the two of you are so predictable."

"Fine…if that's what you want…I guess. But if you want to be with me I will be happy to have you in my group!"

"Sure, Dib, sure."

Zim just stared at the two siblings and gave a small smile thinking of GIR, his little SIR unit. He wished GIR were here because GIR was so destructive he'd probably destroy the house and the thing inside of it, saving everyone's lives. I wonder what GIR is doing right now? Zim wondered. His thoughts stopped abruptly when he felt a hand wrap around his wrist and yank him towards the stair, which they proceeded to climb.

"What on Irk are you doing, Dib-beast?"

"I want to see if the phone is working."

They threw open the door and Dib grabbed the phone. There was a dial tone.

"I thought you had said the phone was dead?" Dib asked.

"It was dead and Zim does not lie." Zim explained speaking in third person.

"Whatever. I am going to see if I can't call for some help."

Dib dialed the numbers 911. A female operator answered him immediately.

"This is 911 what's your emergency?"

"Yes, I am Dib Membrane and I am trapped with four people in a-,"

"Dib Membrane? That crazy kid? How many times are you going to be calling here? Is that 'alien' in your house threatening you again? Stop wasting Federal Officer's time with fantasy."

She hung up and Dib laughed nervously after seeing the look Zim was giving him.

"You called the human defenses because I was in your house? Stupid wormbaby." Zim shook his head.

Suddenly there were two voices screaming from downstairs.

"GAZ!" They shouted in unison.

The two boys raced from the room, speeding down the stairs. Through the hall they entered a dark kitchen.

"Gaz? Jake?" Dib called.

There was only the answer of whimpering from somewhere in the darkness. Zim felt around the walls for the light switch, found it. He turned it from the on position to the off and then to the on again to see if the lights would work. Amazingly they did. The lights flicked up and Jake was sitting, curled up into a ball, sitting in a puddle of blood. Gaz was lying on her back, a gaping hole in her stomach. Blood was gushing in massive flows. Dib immediately dove for her, Zim grabbed some towels from the pantry and tossed them to Dib who snagged them and placed them on top of the wound and began applying pressure.

"Gaz, Gaz, can you here me?"

"D-Dib?" She whispered.

"Shh…save your strength…just don't go to sleep. Don't you dare die on me Gaz."

Zim looked on with mixed emotions running through him. He felt sadness, pity, fear, and anger. Irkens were supposed to keep their emotions at bay to where they never interfered. Zim was feeling them. He didn't want Gaz to die. He had always wanted to destroy the humans, but he had grown fond of humans. Despite what he said he actually did like the humans. He turned to Jake; the boy was curled up in a ball of shivers. Zim didn't care if Jake knew he was an alien…not this time. He reached back, into his pack, pulled out a stretchy yet strong gray material closed the pack and walked over to Dib.

"Move away, Dib-worm." Zim growled.

"No way! You're going to use one of your little alien things on her."

"Exactly Dib. Now move!"

Zim shoved Dib away and removed the now red towels from the wound. Blood squirted out, hitting Zim on his right cheek. He lifted Gaz's back up and placed the gray material underneath. He began wrapping it around her back and belly. Covering the wound. Dib watched in amazement as his archenemy was actually trying to save his little sisters life. Zim tied the ends of the material together and stepped back, wiping the blood away from his cheek with his black-gloved hands.

The blood was stopped and Gaz made a pained cry. Dib crawled over to her and checked the wrapping, it was tight but no blood was escaping. He turned to the little Irken and smiled.

"Thanks Zim."

"Whatever, Dib-worm." Zim scowled.

Jake looked over to the three and frowned after he had recovered from his shaking fit. He crawled over to Gaz's side and looked at Dib who was making calmly speaking to her. Telling her everything was going to be okay. What a load of lies, Jake thought.

"How am I supposed to go anywhere now? She's my partner and now she can't move…how am I supposed to go anywhere in this house?" Jake complained.

"How can you think of yourself when Dib-sister is nearly dead? Filthy pathetic wormbaby!" Zim snarled.

Jake jumped back a bit, he was sure he saw a flash of magenta around Zim's eyes. Zim cross his arms and smirked, turning to Dib he said.

"Hey, Dib. I think Jake would do well to be on his own…don't you?"

"Uh-huh. Yes, he has been a pain…maybe he should be off on his own. He did say he wanted to leave, didn't he?" Dib replied.

The boys were playing a mean joke, but still Jake looked at the two boys as if they were homicidal maniacs. He then glared at them and showed his teeth in a snarl.

"I hope all of you die a horrible death here. Especially that dumb freaky sister you have!"

Jake had gone one step too far because what he said was no joke. Dib was about to lunge at him when a green blur got to Jake before he could. Zim was on top of Jake, literally, pounding him like he were the little moles in the arcade game hit a mole. Zim rammed a fist right across Jakes face, causing the boy to fall back. Jake knocked Zim away and slammed a fist in his gut. The alien gasped for breath that was so rudely knocked out of him and than charged to Jake, but was stopped when he saw Dib ram a good kick right in Jakes belly. Jake fell to the floor whimpering.

"Wow…good kick, Dib-worm." Zim commented.

"Thanks, but next time if he says anything like that about my sister, I get him, okay?"

Zim nodded. Jake sat up holding his stomach, gritting his teeth in pain. Despite the pain and anger Jake grinned. It seemed as though he had lost all signs of sanity because he stood up and ran out of the kitchen screaming.

"HEY YOU! COME AND GET ME! FREE GAME, RIGHT HERE. YOU TOOK MY CINDY NOW HOW ABOUT HER BOYFRIEND? TAKE ME!"

Nothing came and Jake just made a complete fool of himself. He walked back into the room to see Zim and Dib giving him looks of utter disgust. He was about to say something when the phone upstairs rang.

* * *

I hope everyone enjoyed that...I was kind of having writer's block but I finally finished after so many hours!  
I will try and post the next chapter up soon...


	7. What is Real?

I apologize for it taking a few days to update...I have been so busy with school this week. 

Anyway, on to chapter 7. ENJOY!

* * *

Standing in the kitchen they all listened to constant ring of the telephone. Upstairs. Possessed by something. The phone wouldn't stop. At least, not until someone answered it.

Dib let out a snarl and raced upstairs followed by Zim. Throwing open the door of the room Dib snagged the phones cord that connected to the wall. He grinned manically and began rubbing the thin wire between his forefinger and thumb. He giggled. A soft giggle that sent shivers down Zim's spine. The alien just watched for a few moments as Dib twisted the wire in his hands and jumped when Dib suddenly and violently tore the cord from the wall. Pieces of wall came with the cord as it landed harmlessly on the floor. The constant ringing stopped and Dib sighed in relief.

He and Zim turned to leave when the phone started to ring again. Disconnected from the wall and ringing. Dib turned to Zim and gave a weak, scared smile.

"It's got to be battery operated or something."

Zim didn't seem so sure. Dib tried searching for the place where the batteries went, but there was none. The phone was ringing on it's own energy. Dib looked around frantically, the noise was driving him crazy. His eyes stopped at Zim. Zim involuntarily took a step back, nervous at the desperate yet evil look Dib had placed on his face.

"Give me a weapon." Dib hissed.

Zim complied immediately, reaching into his pack he pulled out a crow bar. Dib gave him a strange look and Zim just shrugged.

"I thought your human weapon was…cool."

Dib turned his attention from Zim to the phone. He raised the crow bar over his head and slammed it down onto the phone. The table the phone sat on broke underneath the pressure of the blow. Pieces of wood and splinter scatted everywhere. Dib ignored the fallen table and continued slamming the iron bar into the phone. The phone's tone went dull and died. Silence once more except for the constant panting of Dib. He walked out of the room dropping the crow bar at Zim's feet and walking out. Zim packed away his iron bar and picked up large pieces of wood and the phone and followed Dib down the hall and downstairs, back to the kitchen.

Zim dumped the phone and wood into the trashcan next to the fridge and walked over to check up on Gaz. Jake watched the three for a moment before furiously looking away and stalking out to the hall, up to his room, Cindy's room.

"So, how is Gaz doing?" Dib asked ignoring Jake's sudden leave.

"I think she is going to make it."

"Thank God! Gaz, I promise when we make it out of here I am going to buy you all the Games you could ever ask for and I will even clean your room for you and everything…just do me one thing in return. LIVE!"

Gaz peeked her eyes opened just a tad and smirked. She gave a soft yet pained chuckle.

"Th-thanks Dib. Y-you can g-go if you wa-want." She said.

Dib shook his head furiously from side to side to make a point, as he shouted 'NO'. Gaz just gave a weak smile. If she had the strength and the ability not to bleed if she sat up she would've hugged her brother. A real hug, not a hard gut-crushing hug, but a nice soft hug. She closed her eyes and her smile faded leaving a lazy, straight-lipped mouth.

Jake sat in his room, on the soft yet hard bed. The door was closed and locked. He rubbed the coarse fabric of the comforter with his right hand and immediately thought of Cindy. She would never get to be his bride. They didn't even have the chance to actually ask for each other's hand in marriage. His vision became a blur as salty tears came into his eyes.

"Why…Cindy…why?" He asked no one between sobs.

The lights flickered and Jake stopped his flow of tears to glare up at them. He clenched his fists tightly and threatened the ceiling by shaking them at it.

"I hate you! Whatever you are I will kill you. I will let Cindy get her revenge through me. Come on out and show yourself!"

His eyes darted to the door as he heard a click of the door's lock being opened. He shivered and felt the room become colder. He tensed and prepared to leap onto the monster, but stopped. His heart leaped and his eyes widened. Standing in the doorway was her. His precious Cindy. Her hair was wet and clothes were soaked causing them to cling to the figure of her body. She moved into the room, her bare feet making a soft wet sound as she stepped.

Jake jumped off of the bed and stood stock still in front of her. She smiled at him and motioned with her right pointer finger to follow. Turning around, she walked out of the room, her feet dripping water to the hard wood floors, making them slick. Jake smiled and moved forward out of the room and taking a right, following her to the closet door at the end of the hall. Once there, Cindy grasped the knob and twisted, opening the door. She held it opened for Jake and he walked into the lightless closet. Cindy entered afterward, closing the door behind her. Jake's pained scream erupted from the closet. The lights in the hall flickered for a moment and stopped. All is silent and the door to the closet remained closed.

"W-t-r." Gaz croaked.

"What? What is it you want?" Dib asked.

"Wa-," She coughed.

"Dib-sis…Gaz, what is it you want?" Zim changed Dib-sister to Gaz.

"Wa-t-er."

"Ugh…horrible earth poison." Zim groaned.

"I will get you some…just give me a minute." Dib jumped up.

He hurried and grabbed a cup from the cupboards and went to the faucet, pausing only a moment, remembering what had happened last time he tried using this. Blood had covered him. He shivered at the memory and turned the water on. He winced, expecting blood, but he got water. Precious, clear water. He smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Then the faucet gurgled and made a low grumble. Water stopped flowing and for a moment nothing came out. Then the red liquid came. Blood spilled over the cup and Dib's bare hand. Splattering in the sink, the blood caught some of the black sleeve of Dib's trench coat. He jerked back and immediately turned off the faucet. Blood dripped from his hand and the cup onto the floor.

Suddenly in the silence there is a ring. A constant ring of a phone. The smashed phone that Zim had placed into the trashcan. Dib went to the trash and pulled it out. The phone didn't stop, so Dib, despite himself, lifted the smashed receiver to his ear.

"What the heck do you want with us?" He cried.

"Hey Dib!" It was Jake.

"Jake? Is there another phone in the house?"

"Remember when I told you I wanted you to die a horrible death? I wanted for your freaky sister to go? Remember?"

"Y-Yes, but Jake-,"

"I want her to rot."

"WHAT?"

"She will rot in heck and you boys will watch as I tear her limb from limb. Peel the skin from her muscles and bone. I will make you watch as I dissect her, taking every organ out, one by one just so you can see what she looks like on the inside."

"SHUT UP!"

"You and Zim will be dead as well."

"SHUT UP!"

"Yes, I will make you both rot too. You will feed the insects when I bury you alive. They will eat your flesh, slowly, and painfully. You will scream and I will laugh."

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"

"HAHA. Hey Dib, I left you a gift."

"What?"

"Yes a gift."

The line disconnected as Jake hung up. Dib slammed the phone down, he kicked and kicked. The phone was almost as flat as paper and the little chip inside snapped in half. He hoped the phone would not ring again.

"Who was it?" The alien asked.

"Jake…he…I-I think he left a trap or something for us and—Zim?"

Zim's fake lavender eyes were wide; his hands shaking at his sides, mouth slightly opened, his face spoke fear. Dib swallowed and turned around. He yelped, jumping back. A large golden Labrador stood in the entryway of the kitchen. Its ears erect. The eyes were bloodshot; its fur was matted with blood and mud. His teeth yellow and blood stained. It growled, baring its teeth. Dib could almost smell the blood. It made him sick. He looked to Gaz and saw that Zim was already in front of her, protecting her.

He turned around to see the dog lunging at him, snapping its canines. Dib jumped back, slipping on the blood that dripped from his hand and cup, he fell. The dog jumped and pinned him to the floor. Its breath was warm, and reeked of stale dog food, and blood. He was, in the teeth, that there were pieces of flesh still stuck in between the largest canines up front. Then he froze, Jake was dead. The dog opened its jaws and made a lunge for his throat.

A great weight was lifted from Dib's chest and he heard a pained squeal. Opening his eyes he saw Zim in front of him with a crow bar in his hands. The alien he had tried to get on a dissection table actually saved his life. Zim swung at the dog again, but the jaws clamped onto the bar and jerked it away from Zim, tossing it several feet away. The lab lunged and spider legs emerged from Zim's pack, lifting him a couple feet into the air as they propelled him up to the ceiling, jumping over the dog. He pulled a ray gun from his pack, aimed, and fired. The red laser shot the dog between the eyes. The Labrador suddenly vanished. Almost as if nothing were there.

Zim looked to Dib who was still on the floor and wondered if the two of them were going insane or there really was a dog there, attacking them, trying to kill them. Both boys looked at each other as if mentally asking for an explanation, but none responded because they had no idea what was real and what was not…at least…not anymore.

A sharp intake of breath caused the two to jump. Gaz eyes were wide and staring at something. Turning, both froze. On the cabinets was black writing:

_**2 down and 3 to go.**_

"We have to get out of here." Dib said.

"Yes…but how?" Zim questioned.

* * *

What is Real? Is Jake really dead? Who knows? I DO! HEHE...stay turned for the next chapter! 


	8. Separated

Okay, now it's time for Chapter 8! 

ENJOY!

* * *

"Crap! There has to be some pain medication in here." Dib cried.

Dib was rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchen searching for anything to ease his sister's pain. Zim searched through his pack for something, but there was nothing but his ray guns and his crow bar.

"Look, Zim, I am going to go upstairs to the bathroom and see if there is anything up there, okay?"

"Sure, Dib-worm. I will stay and watch over your sister."

"Zim, if anything happens to her I will seriously hurt you." Dib threatened.

Gaz breathed deeply emitting a moan of pain. Breathing hurt, everything hurt. She felt as though she could die at any moment, then she felt something wet and cold on her forehead. Opening her eyes, Gaz saw Zim. He had placed a wet cloth on her forehead, risking contact from water. She smiled, but Zim didn't see because he stood back up and examined the kitchen for any kind of threat. _I hope Dib hurries back._ Zim thought as he stared at the kitchens exit.

Dib opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, leaving the door opened as he entered. He bent down to look through the bottom drawers and cupboards of the sink. Towels, shampoo, toothpaste, and lotions. No pain medicine anywhere. Dib slammed one of the drawers shut in frustration, he didn't pull his hand away fast enough and the drawer slammed onto his right thumb. Dib yelped in pain and pulled his pink thumb from the drawer and placed it in his mouth to try and dull the pain.

After several seconds the pain subsided and Dib looked in the last few drawers of the sink. The lights in the hall flashed, but Dib, being occupied didn't notice. He stood up and shook his head. He looked into the mirror and shrieked. Jake is right behind him, standing at the doorway of the bathroom. Hair was dripping wet, clothes soaked, and he was grinning manically. Dib swerved around and looked behind. Jake was not there. Dib's heart pounded in his chest, he placed his hand to his chest to calm himself as he took a deep breath. _Nothing is there._ He thought as he turned around turned around and looked back into the mirror. Jake is there again. He looked behind, but no one was there…not even a shadow.

"H-hello? Jake?" Dib asked quietly.

After he received no answer, Dib turned again and looked into the mirror and screamed. Jake was only an inch behind him and holding a knife above his head. Dib jumped away, hit the wall, and fell flat on his butt, eyes wide. Nothing was there. Jake was not standing in the bathroom, wielding a knife to kill him. It was just him, and his shadow. No one else was there with him. Maybe it was Zim playing a cruel joke.

"Zim? Zim is that you? Jake? Anyone?"

No answer. The only sound was of his own heavy breathing and the pounding of his heart in his chest. He caught something orange at the corner of his right eye. He turned fast and saw a bright orange tube of pills. He reached over and read the label. Pain medication. He smiled and twisted the white cap off to see how many pills were left. After removing the top he looked inside. Inside was a bloody, pale finger with pink nail polish. Dropping the pill bottle, Dib screamed.

Blood covered the floor around Gaz and even stained Zim's magenta shirt. Gaz had just begun coughing up blood, in massive spills, a few minutes after Dib had left. Nothing would stop the blood from coming from her mouth. Zim wondered if she had internal bleeding. Gaz began closing her eyes, she was so tired. Zim shook her to try and keep her awake, but she closed her eyes and slept.

"Stay awake, human." Zim ordered.

Gaz gave no response as her eyes closed. The alien panicked and shook he harder, no response. He gave a harder shake, but she didn't wake up. Her chest was moving up and down, so she was still alive, but how long would she last if she weren't awake?

Suddenly there was a sharp, high-pitched squeak.

"ACK!" Zim yelped.

Zim's head swerved to see the pantry door open. Nothing was there. _Maybe it was the wind?_ Zim thought trying to ease his nerves. The air in the room chilled and Zim shivered, the lights began to flicker, on and off. His lavender eyes grew large and he jumped in front of Gaz, to protect her from anything, but nothing came as the lights stopped, remaining on.

_Ring! Ring!_

"ACK!" Zim yelped when the phone in the trash rang.

"ZIM!"

Zim turned to see Dib walking towards him, in his hand was an orange tube of pills. His hair was wet and clothes were damp, and when he moved his shoes made a mushy, wet noise. As if his shoes were full of water. Zim smiled slightly. _Finally!_ Zim thought, but something inside him screamed. Something was not right.

Dib had thrown the finger filled bottle into the trash and was currently seeking for another tube of pain medication. This time, he hoped, it would be body-part free. He searched through the cupboards and the drawers a second time, but again he found nothing. He peeked up into the mirror. No one was there, this time. He sighed and stood up. A chill crept up Dib's spine as he turned around and saw a black figure move across the hall, passed the bathroom door. He jumped and gave a little gasp.

"What the heck was that?" He questioned himself.

He moved quietly and poked his head out into the hallway. He looked down the hall in the direction the figure moved in. He stared straight at the large closet at the end of the hall. _Should I follow or not?_ He thought. He really should get back to Zim and Gaz, but then again if he followed this thing maybe he could kill it and save them. Despite his gut screaming to go back, Dib followed.

"I wonder what this thing really is…a ghost or a zombie…or maybe it's a new species." Dib whispered to himself in fear and wonder.

Down the hall he stopped at the closet door. He reached out and grasped the handle, turned, and pulled it opened. Dib walked inside and the door swung shut on itself. Dib yelped and swerved around. It was so dark, pitch black. He couldn't see anything. He felt around for the handle. He felt a hole where the doorknob should've been and realized there was only one knob…on the outside. He was trapped in the dark closet. He reached into the deep pocket of his trench coat and pulled out his blue lighter. He clicked the top up and fingered the rough switch. He flicked it, the small orange flame sprouted from the top.

The small amount of light from the flame gave just enough light for Dib to see where he was going. It was still very dark, but at least he could see a little. He saw nothing, but boxes. Stacked boxes and clothes hanging on racks. He shined the small flame around then he stopped to stare at a very dark corner in the closet. Through the immense darkness he could've sworn he saw something move.

Zim reached out to take the bottle, but as his hand got closer he shivered. He was so cold he may as well of been in the arctic snow with nothing but a t-shirt and shorts on. Now he knew something was most definitely not right. Dib wasn't right.

"Dib-beast?"

"Here. Fill her up! Make her eat every last pill." Dib said, but it wasn't Dib's voice.

Zim knew the voice, but from where. He sounded like a grown man not Dib.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Zim asked.

"Oh, you don't remember me? You should. You abandoned me Zim. You left me for it. You didn't let me out of the closet!" It said.

"What do you want with me? Are you the thing that's been calling?" Zim questioned, his voice squeaking from fear.

"Me? No. I just want to kill you."

Zim backed away and it moved forward. Dib's face went into an evil smirk, his teeth were sharp. They were as sharp as knives. Zim couldn't believe it. Then without warning, Dib struck him across the face. His contacts flew out from his eyes and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. Zim held his sore cheek and jumped in front of Gaz. Dib grinned and lunged forward again, opening his mouth for a bite.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The pained scream lasted only seconds before silencing and the only sound that could be heard was the quiet _ping_ of liquid falling to the floor.

_Ping!_

And nothing more.

* * *

Is Zimmy dead? What happens to Dib? Stay tuned for Chapter 9...  



	9. Dark Sacrifice

This story is so fun to write! BTW thanks, everyone, for all the reviews! They are greatly appreciated!  
Now, On to Chapter nine!

* * *

Dib crawled on his hands and knees underneath the rack of clothes. Searching for something, anything really to break the door down. So far all he had found were dead bugs, live roaches, broken nails, splinters, and a lot of dust. The closet was cool and dark, just barely lit by his lighter. He got up from his hands and knees and stood tall. Now what was he to do? There was nothing to break down the door. Was he to be trapped inside the closet for the rest of his life? Or at least until someone came and opened the door. But if someone did come would they even be able to open the door? Would it be locked just as the front door had been?

Dib peered around in the dark corners. A soft shine came from the wall. It was the smooth back of a beetle trying to climb its way up the wall. Little by little it made its way up, scaling the walls height. Then the bug slipped and fell to the wooden floor with a soft crash. Dib sighed, he wished he could be a bug, then he would be able to fit underneath the crack of the door. He sighed and fell against the wall, sliding down until he sat with his knees pulled against his chest. The perspiration on his hands caused his finger to slip off the switch of the lighter. He dropped it in surprise when the light went out. The lighter fell to the wooden floor with a thud. Now, there was no light in the closet. Nothing but darkness. Darkness that you never wanted to see because it was as though you stared into nothingness. Anything could come out from anywhere and get him and he wouldn't be able to do anything but do guess work.

Dib panicked and placed his hands to the wooden floor, feeling around for the lighter. He froze. Chills ran through his every limb. Something in the closet moved. It was not a beetle falling off the wall either. Dib breathed slowly so he could make as little noise as possible. There was suddenly no sound. Dib's eyes darted everywhere even though he couldn't see anything. Then he heard a creak. A loose floorboard. A soft, wet footstep. Something was coming near. He swallowed, feeling himself grow beads of sweat on his forehead. Fear was now becoming an overflowing emotion. His heart was pounding so hard he thought that if it weren't for his ribcage it would thump its way out from his body.

_THUD!_

Dib jumped, a yelp involuntarily coming from his mouth. He panicked, feeling everywhere for the lighter. Then his hands fell onto something wet causing the liquid to splash. _Blood._ Was his first thought, but the liquid was odorless. It couldn't be blood, could it? Dib ignored the cold, wet liquid on his hands and strained to hear the soft tapping from the other side of the closet. What was it? Was it waiting for him? Was it even there? Dib continued rubbing the floor for his lighter when a piece of wood, a splinter, slipped into the tip of his right index finger. He covered his mouth with his left hand to keep a whimper from escaping and stared through the darkness at the other end. Though it was pitch black in the closet, Dib could swear something even darker moved. He narrowed his eyes to try and see better, but no matter what he did he couldn't see in darkness. He needed his lighter. Then he paused in his search, his body tensed, froze in spot. There, somewhere in the darkness, something was breathing. A raspy breath that sounded as though the thing had trouble breathing. Perhaps even had a collapsed lung, the raspy breathing chilled his nerves. This kind of breathing was not natural; in fact, the very sound gave Dib fears beyond his greatest nightmares. The raspy breath gave a pause, only for a short few seconds, but those seconds were hours to Dib. He was more fearful of being in a room with a soundless enemy than one with breathing difficulties. The breathing started up again and this time, though, it seemed to be louder, closer than it was just a few seconds ago. Dib moved his right arm out, stretching it far. He felt it. The rubbery texture of his lighter. He wrapped his fingers around it and flicked the rough silver switch. A _click_ was heard, but no small flame emerged from the casing.

_Click!_

Dib swallowed hard. What if the lighter was out of fuel? What if this wasn't even his lighter and something else? What would happen if the light did come on? What would he see hiding in the shadows? Dib shuddered as a thought of sharp, vicious, bloodied fangs glistening in darkness just waiting to tear open flesh and break bones with a single snap of the jaws came to mind. He fingered the object in his hands. It did feel like his lighter, but he was sure he hadn't used it that much. Only when he really needed it. He closed his eyes and switched the cold silver switch.

_Click!_

Nothing but a blue spark flew up from the lighter.

_Click!_

Dib heard papers fall. Somewhere in the darkness the thing was moving. Dib switched the lighter again and finally the blue spark grew into a flame. Orange and bright for Dib, as he had been in darkness for a long time. Seemingly hours for Dib, but then again, fear always makes time move slowly. It could've been just a few minutes in the dark closet. Then again, Dib didn't care. He only cared about getting out of here, saving his sister, and proving of Zim's alien existence. His eyes finally adjusted to the little light and he peered around. Nothing was there. He saw a stack of papers, just two feet away from him, lying on the floor. They were obviously knocked over. It wasn't his imagination. Something was in there with him. Something evil, and that something may just be in there with him still. Waiting for a perfect moment to strike. A predator stalking its prey. Dib frowned as he scanned the papers on the floor. They weren't just any papers. The papers were actually cutouts of articles in newspapers. Articles about murder, missing kids, robbery, suicides, and weapons. There was a crash to the left of him. He jumped, turned swiftly, aiming the small flame to his left. He saw a pen roll towards him. A small, thin black pen with it's cap missing. His eyes followed the path that the pen came from and wanted to scream. There was writing on the floor. He knew it wasn't good, but he walked closer and placed the light inches above the writing. He read:

"Three dead and two to go."

His insides went seemingly dry and his stomach churned. Three down. Two to go. Three down would mean that either Gaz or Zim had been killed. Dib felt his eyes burn as tears welled up. He stood abruptly and backed away until he was up against the door. His sister couldn't be dead. She was always able to get out of every situation, she was practically undefeatable. She couldn't be killed. He couldn't imagine any of those two being dead. Gaz seemed to be undefeatable and Zim…well, Zim was just Zim. He couldn't be gone from Earth. Life wouldn't be right without Zim there to ruin things. Dib was suddenly aware of the raspy breathing once more. It was farther away, but it still made him feel fear beyond imaginable belief. He aimed the flame around to see everything once more. To get a feel for the walk in closet he was locked in. Then, the only light in the room, his lighter, went out.

_Click!_

Blood was everywhere. Blood stained the white walls. A musky odor flowed through the air, it was sickening. The thing had left after the kill. It had not been Dib after all. The thick, red blood gushed from the large wound on the stomach of the lifeless body. It was pale, and the lips were turning blue. The nails were turning black. The smell of blood and death made him gag. Zim stood, wide ruby eyes staring in fear at every corner of the kitchen. No matter where he looked there was blood. Blood clung to the ceiling, the walls, and created large puddles on the checkered black and white floor. Zim's black wig lay in a mess on the floor in a large body of blood. Gaz, Dib's little sister, lay motionless on the floor. Zim could not believe it. Gaz was dead. The girl who seemed to be more powerful than an army was dead. Lying in a bloody mess on the floor of a bloody kitchen.

Zim walked closer to the body. He had seen everything. He had been standing in front of Gaz when the thing attacked, but Gaz, in a final move, had knocked Zim's legs from underneath him. Tripping him to the floor with just seconds to spare. The fangs had sunk deep into her stomach and her scream, as deafening as it was, echoed through the house. The thing had drunk some blood and then tore flesh, and ripped the organs and guts from Gaz's stomach. Blood had splattered everywhere from the violent thrashing of Gaz and the thing eating her alive. Zim shuddered at the flashback and looked at Gaz. Her stomach, flowing with blood, was empty of organs.

Zim backed away from the corpse feeling a wave of nausea coming over him. He was about to make his way out of the kitchen when he saw the pantry door was still open. He balanced the pros and cons of going inside and despite the large amount of cons, Zim made his way inside. He flicked the light on inside and looked around. Peanut butter, jelly, bread, soups, and more foods were lined on the large shelves. Nothing out of the ordinary was inside until he saw a shine from behind one of the cans of soup. He walked over and moved the can to reveal a silver doorknob on the wall. But was this really a wall? Zim grasped the knob, turned, and pulled. The entire wall moved…it was a hidden door. Zim was curious and fearful at the same time as he entered the secret room of the pantry. It was dark inside, but he felt around the cement walls for a switch. He found one and turned on the lights. Well, light. There was a single bulb suspended from a wire from the cracked cement ceiling. Zim frowned. Something was definitely wrong with this picture. A room made of nothing but thick cement. That could only mean this was meant to be a soundproof room. No one could be heard from the inside. Nothing was inside the room, nothing except cobwebs in the corners of the ceilings and small black bugs crawling over a pale stick covered in red. Zim narrowed his eyes. That was no stick. Then, amidst the black bugs, Zim saw a long, thin arm. Very thin arm. There was barely any skin left on it, and you could see, in some parts, the white of the bone protruding through the skins surface. Zim gave a soft yelp, backing away, out of the room. In the pantry, Zim shut the secret door. Left the food storage room and ran out. He slipped on blood. He fell flat on his back, yelping, and looked up. Something red was dripping from the ceiling. Zim's first thought was blood. When the liquid fell, landing on Zim's cheek, he knew he was right. His thought was confirmed. It was blood.

* * *

What happens next? Whose blood is that? Is Dib dead? OMG, so many unanswered questions, LOL. I hope that was enjoyable!  
I will post chapter 10 soon...


	10. Blood Red

Wow...I had writer's block for this chapter, that's why it took a while to post. But I got it done!  
Thanks again for the reviews! Enjoy!

* * *

Something was moving about the darkness. Dib knew it; he could just feel a presence near him, watching him with predatory eyes. He just ignored the fear that crawled up his spine as he crawled around on the floor. His hands were in front, on the floor, feeling everything around him. His lighter had stopped working and he had abandoned it somewhere in the darkness of the closet floor. Dib was crawling somewhere. He had no idea where he was going, for all he knew, he could be crawling around in circles without even knowing it because it was so dark that nothing could be seen. He placed a hand down on the wood and pulled back, fast, a whimper escaped from his mouth and he clutched the palm of his hand into his chest. Something sharp had sliced his hand. A claw? A nail? A knife? He didn't know. All he knew was that it was sharp and that the pain was horrible. His hand burned and he could feel the warm blood oozing form the wound, sliding down his hand and even soaking his coat and shirt. Gritting his teeth, Dib reached out to the floor with his left hand, the one uninjured. He felt around the floor and came upon the sharp item. Gently, and ever so cautiously, he felt around. Examining it with his fingers, trying to get a picture of what it was in his mind. It felt, odd.

"What is that?"

His curiosity was making him forget the fear he had been feeling in this place. The object felt, rough yet smooth at the same time. It was hard and yet had softness to it. The object was almost indescribable. The only word that came into mind was, mysterious. That was it. Nothing, no words could describe it. He then wrapped his hand around it, softly, so as not to cut himself, and then he lifted it from the floor. It was heavy, about five pounds, which was a lot for an item as small as a spoon. The item seemed to send shivers down his spine and it suddenly when cold. Ice cold. Dib held the item still; ignoring the ice-cold pain it was giving him. The item then seemed to become wobbly. Almost like jell, it was…changing. Into a liquid. It spilled from his hands and Dib immediately planted both palms down, feeling around for any liquid. Nothing was there. No sharp end, no liquid, nothing. Then, the closet door opened. Dib clenched his eyes shut, hissing at the sudden pain brought by the intense light. As soon as his eyes focused he looked to see what was at the door and gasped.

"NO!" He cried realizing Gaz, his little sister, was the one who was dead.

Zim stood in the doorway, wide eyed and shaking. Blood covered his magenta shirt and specks of blood covered his pale green face. Dib noticed his disguise was gone, not even in the Irken's claws. Zim just looked at Dib with uncertainty, as if he were trying to see if Dib were real. Dib stood up fast and raced over to the door. Zim screamed and slammed the door shut. Dib, just in time, placed his foot in the door's path. Hissing in pain as it slammed, full force into his foot. He threw the door back opened and slammed it behind. Zim backed away, ruby eyes looking at him in fear.

"Zim, it's me, Dib!" Dib said.

"Dib? How do I know it's you?" Zim spat.

"Uh…you call me Dib-worm…Dib-beast…you are an alien and-," Zim shushed him with a wave of a claw.

"I believe you…I-uh…Gaz…is dead." Zim whispered.

"I…I know. I saw some writing."

"Dib-wor-, Dib, I am…sorry."

Dib looked at Zim with a bit of shock written on his pale face. Even through all he had been through and knowing the fact that his sister was dead, Dib managed a small smile for the alien. He nodded and Zim gave a weak smile of his own. Dib walked up ahead of Zim and began heading back down the hall towards the stairs to go downstairs. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a splash. He looked down and saw that he was standing in a red liquid. It was flowing…no, more like oozing from the laundry room. He tensed when he saw more blood come rushing out from under the door. He looked to Zim who just gazed in horror at the blood, but glanced at Dib.

"This wasn't here when I came up." Zim said.

"Well…I guess it doesn't really matter anymore…Nothing matters anymore." Dib whispered, looked to the ground.

Zim sighed. He knew Dib should be mourning his sister, but he couldn't. Not here, now he had to get out and live his life. To live for himself and for Gaz. She, Zim knew despite her tough demeanor, cared for Dib and wouldn't want him dead. The alien walked up to Dib and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. Dib smiled and moved away from the slightly comforting touch and went towards the door. Zim stopped him with a grunt.

"I don't think we want to go in."

"Why not?" Dib spat, obviously angry and annoyed as well as upset.

"I think whatever it is wants us to go in, ever thought of that?"

"I-," Dib started only to be interrupted.

"Think about it, the phone. It rang; we took the bait and answered. It caught us in a trap. Everything so far has been a trap! I know it. This thing is playing with us, just having a little fun before it gets bored," Zim glanced seriously at Dib, "You know what happens when it gets bored don't you?"

Dib nodded, "It kills us."

"Exactly. I, for one, want to live so I can get home to care for GIR and take over this filthy planet. You should live to try and save this horrible ball of filth."

Dib just stared at Zim for a moment before returning his gaze to the laundry door. Maybe he was right, it was a trap. If he went through that door, what would happen? Would he be dead? Or, would he possibly find something to keep him alive? Was everything a trap? The phone…that could've been just a scare, or was it really a trap? The thing was obviously playing with them, but…how could everything be a trap? He had been thinking it was just for a scare. Maybe it was. Maybe everything was for a scare as well as being a trap. Dib glanced from the door to Zim. He stared into the serious ruby eyes. Behind the eyes was fear, barely visible, but it was there. Glancing back to the door Dib sighed. He turned to Zim and nodded.

"Okay, lets not open it then. But have you thought that maybe one of the dead is trying to help us? Giving us signs to save us? Maybe Gaz is trying to help by having blood come out? Every think of that?"

"Dib-worm, you are going insane, that's impossible." Zim pointed out.

"Is it? Is it really? I really used to think a phone couldn't ring anymore after being unplugged from the wall…that is unless it's a cell phone, but it wasn't. Then I used to believe that dogs couldn't disappear on you. Then I-,"

"MAKE SILENCE, NOW!" Zim spat.

Dib fell silent watching Zim as the alien thought. Surely Zim would have to come to senses and know that almost anything was possible in this house. You have to expect the unexpected no matter how stupid and impossible it sounds. There was a soft groan from the other side of the door. Dib and Zim both turned to face it. A crash! From inside the laundry room. Something or someone was in there. Dib went to grasp the handle when Zim snatched his arm and pulled him away.

"Foolish human, messing with the unknown is just playing with death." Zim scolded.

"Let go! Someone's in there." Dib struggled to free his arm, but to no avail.

"SILENCE! Listen Dib. A couple days ago, I went to that walk in closet down the hall. Someone was pounding on the door and shouting for help. I raced over and everything stopped. I was about to leave when he or it called my name so I opened the door. Nothing was there. Get it Dib? No one is here! No one is in there except, it! It is just waiting for you to become caring and wanting to be a hero. It's a trap!"

Dib pulled his arm from Zim's tight grasp and grit his teeth, scowling at the alien. That was what Zim had heard a week ago. Why hadn't he said anything? All he had said was he thought he heard something. Dib was sure of it. Then again, Zim didn't like showing enemies his weaknesses. Maybe whatever was behind the door was nothing. Would he be feeling better if he opened the door to find nothing there? Or would he rather leave and battle with guilt that if there was someone in there then he had just left him or her to their death.

"Human, lets check it later. If there are still sounds then go ahead and open it. But if there is no sound than leave it, okay? Lets just leave for now and plan."

What's there to plan? Huh? Tell me that Zim! We have no idea what we are up against. This thing, is…is invisible or something! Or, maybe there isn't anything here after all and I am just going crazy! Maybe, this is all just a horrible nightmare and I just haven't woken up yet and-OW!" Dib yelped.

"I think you're awake." Zim said calmly.

"You…you shut slapped me! That really hurt!"

"Dib-worm. Tell me. In your human dreams, can you feel pain?"

"…no…no you can't. I AM NOT DREAMING! This is just wonderful! Thanks a lot Zim, I just wanted at least another excuse to make myself feel at least a bit safer!" Dib roared.

"Dib, that isn't very smart. Let's just go…somewhere and plan, okay? I found a place in the pantry. It's a secret room or something. Must've been a torture chamber, but I believe it is the safest place in this house. We shall plan there."

Dib looked to Zim then back to the door. Then he began walking down the hall and down the steps. He turned around, eyes turning red from tears welling up in his eyes.

"You coming or what?" Dib asked.

Zim hurried up and ran to his side, walking down the stairs, carefully, in fear the stairs would collapse if there was the slightest knock on them. They walked down the small, short hall and into the kitchen where Dib nearly passed out. Blood was everywhere. He knew all of it belonged to Gaz, but she wasn't there. Zim noticed this right away. Gaz's body was no longer there. It had been taken. Maybe even devoured whole by something. Ignoring his nausea, Zim ushered Dib into the pantry and into the concrete room, closing the door behind them.

The lights in the kitchen flickered and a dark figure walked in. The lights in the room flickered, unnoticed by the boys because they were in the hidden concrete room. A soft chuckle echoed against the blood stained white walls.

"I am coming for you!" A hollow voice echoed.

The dark figure was gone. No longer standing in the doorway of the kitchen. A _ping_ was heard as red liquid fell from the ceiling. Blood. Soaking through the high, white ceiling. Blood, coming from the laundry room upstairs.

_Ping!_

A hollow and raspy chuckle, "I am here."

_Ping!_

The phone in the trashcan rang. The room grew cold and the blood falling from the ceiling turn solid. Iced blood fell from the ceiling and hit the floor. Shards of red scattered everywhere. The kitchen was a freezer, a freezer for the dead. The ice crystal shards of blood that splattered were aligned perfectly to form, a short and abbreviated sentence:

'**2 2 go.'**

* * *

Creepy, eh? Since tomorrow is Friday I will be able to post the next chapter faster! Stay tuned to Chapter 11. 


	11. We All Fall Down

I want to wish my Dad a **Happy Father's Day!** (Sorry, that was so random, LOL)  
Now, on to Chapter 11.

* * *

They moved quietly through the halls. Their feet making a soft, silent tap as they stepped. Everything was silent and the boys had a plan. Dib was in front and Zim was behind, following towards the stairs that they walked up. Both held ray guns that were ready to fire with a pull of a trigger. There was a creak and the boys froze for a moment before realizing it was only the stairs which they walked up. Zim had finally agreed to check out the laundry room after a full twenty-four hours had passed. Once there, they stopped at the door of the laundry room. Blood was dried on the floor and the doorknob had a bloody handprint on it. Smeared, yet it was clear, the blood was in the shape of a hand grasping the knob. Dib looked to Zim then back to the handle.

_THUD!_

Dib jumped back, knocking into Zim who caught him. Something fell. Something heavy had fallen from somewhere in the house. What they had heard was an obvious echo. Dib swallowed and without hesitation he grasped the knob and turned it. The door seemed to open up itself revealing nothing but clean walls and floor. No blood anywhere. Dib looked back to the floor outside of the room and saw that all the blood was gone. It was almost like there hadn't even been any there.

_THUD!_

Both jumped. The room was cold and the noise was coming from inside the room. Both notice the dryer was on. Zim raised his silver gun up and pointed it straight at the dryer. Dib shivered and hit the stop button. The dyer shut down giving a final _THUD_. Dib threw the door opened and screamed, covering his face with his hands, dropping his ray gun to the floor. The gun activated and shot a laser at Zim who quickly jumped back and out of the way. Zim didn't scream, but he felt sick. Inside the beige dryer was a severed head. Blood filled the inside, wet blood. The head had purple hair. Zim didn't need to see more to realize whose head it belonged to. It was Gaz. Her severed head rolled a bit, causing her face to turn to them. Zim gasped and stepped back. Dib moaned before expelling his stomach all over the floor. Her eyes had been removed, only black sockets were seen; and her flesh was rough and burned. Her lips have been pulled right off, revealing nothing but white teeth and part of the purple gums.

"What kind of sick person would do this?" Dib asked after he finished puking.

This isn't a person. Its a thing…an it. An unknown. It did this." Zim spat.

Dib looked around the room, keeping his eyes away from the sight of his sister's decapitated head. He saw a rectangle on the ceiling. An attic.

"Zim! Look, an attic. Let's go up there and see if there is something there."

Zim nodded and, before Dib could say anything, Zim grabbed his arms and his spider legs shot out. The metal limbs climbed the walls and pushed the rectangle part of the ceiling, pushing it away. Dust spilled out of the ceiling, causing them to cough and a few gnats and flies flew out. Zim pushed Dib into the attic before climbing in himself. His spider legs disappeared into his pack with a few mechanical noises. Dib gaped and Zim stared around with surprised eyes. The attic was enormous about the entire length of the house itself. The attic had a low ceiling, so they would have to crawl, but still, they could not get over the size of the attic.

"Okay…ready?" Dib asked.

"Yes, lets go, human." Zim answered.

Dib lead the way, across the dusty wooden floors in the attic. Cobwebs hung at every corner and beetles crawled everywhere. Dib spat when a cobweb caught onto his face and a spider crawled into his mouth. He coughed and spat onto the floor. The spider was spit from his mouth onto the floor where it crawled away. Zim growled and pushed Dib forward, as he was tired of waiting for Dib to move. Dib gave Zim a kick form behind and smiled a bit. He stopped. The attic wasn't as big as they had thought. In fact, it was only covered with mirrors on all the sides, that's what made the attic look enormous.

"They're just mirrors." Dib stated.

"Now what, Dib-worm, where do we go?"

"Uh…I don't know. Hold on!" Dib said.

Dib saw a crack in a mirror in front of him and pulled it. The piece of mirror felt to the floor, but didn't shatter. The mirror had covered a hole, leading to something else. Dib smiled and crawled through with Zim behind him. His hand hit something sharp and he gasped as pain raced through his hand and up his entire arm.

"Dib? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. My arm really hurts." Dib whined.

Then he saw blood run down from his hand. Droplets of red landing onto the floor, creating a small puddle. Dib saw that he had hit a nail; it had gone right into his hand. Worst of all was that the nail was covered with an orange hue. It was a rusty nail. He bit his lip, but continued on after warning Zim of the nail.

_Ring around the rosy…_

Dib stopped and Zim crashed into him.

"What? Why did you stop Dib-wo," Dib hushed him.

"Do you hear that? It sounds like little kids singing, but they sound so far away."

_Pocket full of posy…_

Zim looked around everywhere. The singing didn't seem like it should be happening. Something was with them. It was in there with them. Zim could just feel it watching them, waiting for them to do something before attacking. Zim shoved Dib forward after his heart began racing at the speed of light from fear. Dib had felt his fear growing. He too, could feel they were being watched. Dib crawled faster, his bloody hand screaming in pain with each movement. Then he stopped, Zim crashed into him again. Something was right in front of him. A dark shadow. It seemed as though the shadow was looking at them, but it had no eyes or face. Then it moved forward and disappeared as if it were never even there. Dib gaped, and then heard something. There was a creak in the wooden boards beneath them. Dib looked down, but saw nothing.

_Ashes, Ashes we all fall down…_

The children's voices continued to sing, an innocent song with innocent voices, but it tormented both of them. The voices and song together with no little kids with them was enough to cause Dib to move forward to try and escape the song. There was another creak and Dib looked down. Nothing was wrong. _It's all in my head._ Dib thought and he moved faster and faster.

_We all fall down..._

There was a jerk in the wooden boards beneath them. Dib panicked fearing the entire attic floor would collapse beneath their weight. Dib felt Zim pushing him forward from behind.

"Hurry up Dib. Something's happening." Zim said in a voice full of fear and panic.

Dib moved forward, his heart suddenly shot up into his throat. Nothing had even happened yet as he moved forward his fear grew. Sweat began to bead on his forehead and his muscles tightened as if awaiting an impact. His heart beat wildly and as fast as a cheetah. His eyes darted everywhere and his breathing began erratic and more frequent. The air around them chilled. The beetles that crawled around on the floors suddenly seemed to panic and fled away into their holes and cracks of the floors and walls.

_We all fall DOWN!_

Suddenly Dib could feel the wood tremble beneath him, but it didn't break. He looked behind and his eyes widened in horror. The wood beneath Zim had collapsed. The alien's eyes widened and he screamed as he began falling fast into the depths of the darkness.

"ZIM!" Dib cried out.

Dib turned around and even though Zim was out of reach, he held his arms out for him. Then Zim disappeared into the darkness below. Dib was alone. Alone in the attic with it. It was watching, and waiting. Then the eerie silence was broken when a loud scream of pain and fear erupted throughout the house. It was Zim and Dib could do nothing to help. The scream died down and Dib shuddered at many grotesque thoughts and images that had fled into his mind of what was happening to Zim.

"…Zim…Gaz…" Dib whispered.

He hung his head; eyes clenched shut as salty tears began falling. Sliding down his cheeks down to his chin they fell onto the floor, leaving dark wet spots on the wood. How could this of happened? All because of field trip to a haunted house? His sister was now dead and Zim, his enemy/friend, was now dead. Jake and Cindy, he wasn't so upset about, but they were dead as well. No one deserved to die. Now he was next. He was the last one and he was the final stage of the game that this sick thing had set up. Dib wiped his eyes from the warm salty tears and glared around. He wouldn't give up. He would find a way to live. He would listen to what Zim had said yesterday, "Live for Gaz." But now, Dib wouldn't live just for Gaz, but for Zim as well. First he had to find a way out of here. A way to escape before the game was done.

"You are not going to win. I am." Dib said to the air.

Somewhere in the attic something moved, heading in the opposite direction of Dib.

No, the game was not over. Not yet.

* * *

Is Zim dead? Will Dib be next or will he live? Stay tuned for Chapter 12!


	12. Death's Chase

I apologize for the late update...my internet was down for a few days and I couldn't post this chapter.  
Now for Chapter 12! Enjoy!

* * *

The room was dark and full of dust that hung in the air giving it a haze. The sounds of insects scuttling and the sound of wood creaking from above were enough noise to wake the figure lying on the floor in a pile of broken wood. Ruby eyes slowly opened as Zim regained consciousness. He remained still, eyes looking everywhere to figure out his whereabouts. He couldn't see a thing except for the little amount of light coming from above. He craned his neck, painfully, to look up at the ceiling. A large gaping hole was above him; he had fallen through. He let his head fall back down, chin landing on hard, splintering wood. Zim wondered if Dib was still alive up there or if he had been killed just as everyone else had.

_THUD!_

Zim's eyes turned lazily to look to his left; another wooden board had fallen from the ceiling. _How long have I been out? _Zim wondered and tried to move, but winced. His left arm was possibly broken. He turned his head to see and gasped when he saw clean, white bone sticking out of his elbow. Purple blood stained the floor and his shirt. He was lucky he hadn't bled to death. Zim began to sit up, slowly, without using his left arm for anything. His chest screamed with pain and his arm hurt like the devil, but he was good enough to walk. He stood up on wobbling legs, wincing a bit when he moved his broken arm. Once he was sure he could stay standing, Zim reached into his pack with his right arm and pulled out a soft material and began tying it around his arm. It was the same thing he had used to stop Gaz from bleeding to death. After he tied the ends together, using his spider legs for help, he looked around. It was too dark for him to see anything so he fingered the walls for a switch. Once his hand hit the bump of the switch he turned on the lights. Artificial light blinded him for a moment and once his eyes focused he found himself standing next to a door inside of a room he had never seen before. It was full of boxes covered in dust and clothes that lay forgotten in a corner. Spider webs hung everywhere, at every corner of the room.

"Where am I?" Zim asked himself.

Then his gaze fell away from the room and to the bronze doorknob. He reached a gloved claw out and turned the knob, slowly. He pushed the door opened and it squeaked causing Zim to wince and clench his eyes shut tight as if expecting a blow from something. Nothing came and Zim opened his eyes and stared into a dark room, lit only by the moonlight seeping through the cracks of the closed blinds. The thing Zim noticed right away was that there were no lights in the room. The room was also empty except for a single king sized bed in the center of the room. It had no sheets; just a white mattress that seemed to have stains of some sort on it. Zim moved closer, limping slightly from a sharp pain that exploded in his leg when he walked. His ruby eyes peered at the bed and gasped. The dark stains were blood. Blood that looked to have been there for many years, possibly over a decade or so. The alien took a few steps back before freezing up like an icicle. Something was in the room with him. He could just feel it. Zim straightened himself up to look as tall and as big as he possibly could.

"Anyone here?" He asked with a trembling voice.

Nothing answered, but Zim saw movement from the corner of his left eye and turned fast. He instantly regretted his fast action as his ankle twisted. He fell to the ground with an agonized scream. The pain was incredible, but he knew it wasn't broken because he could move it a little. He placed his good hand on the floor and tried standing, but fell back down with a pained moan. He couldn't move, it hurt too much to make even the slightest of movements. Then he looked up from his pained ankle to the bed in front of him. Just as he looked up he saw a dark figure move across the room, disappearing through the wall. Zim instantly reached up into his pack and pulled out one of his small ray guns and aimed it everywhere in the room, ready to pull the trigger if anything were to come at him.

"I am ready for you." Zim growled.

Nothing answered except for a _CLICK_ from somewhere in the room.

Dib frowned. He was lost and he knew it. It didn't matter what turns he took or what direction he went, he wasn't going anywhere. In fact, he was sure that he was going in a large never-ending circle. _This thing is just playing tricks with me, isn't it?_ Dib asked himself and crawled forward. His hand still burned from the impalement from the rusted nail. He would have to go straight to the doctors as soon as he got out of the Mansion. He wondered how infected his hand really was and lifted it up to his face, stopping his crawl. He gasped.

"Oh my gosh…this can not be good." He said to himself.

His hand was swelling up and turning into a sickly yellowish white. It was so inflamed that it looked like a liquid filled bubble just waiting to burst. It was the kind of swelling one usually got from burns; the skin would swell and fill up with fluids. It was quite disgusting and Dib didn't want to find out what kind of fluid was inside so he would have to be careful not to have it pop. He winced at the sudden image of it popping in his head, white fluids bursting from the inflamed palm. He set his hand down, softly, and began moving forward.

"Dib!"

Dib craned his neck to look behind him. Nothing was there. He could've sworn someone called him, and the voice sounded much like…Gaz's.

"Gaz?" Dib called, his voice echoed throughout the attic.

Nothing answered him; he shrugged and continued forward. His palm burned every time he set it down on the splintering wood floor. Dib felt cold sweat begin to bead along his forehead and he was aware of the second set of breathing coming from behind him. He tried ignoring the feeling of fear as the soft hairs pricked on the back of his neck. Goosebumps painted his flesh and his eyes were wide, but he kept moving. The breathing behind him grew louder signaling a decrease in distance between him and the follower. Dib began panicking and crawled as fast as he could. He began whimpering as he crawled. The pounding behind him was frightening and almost inhuman. How could anyone crawl and make the noise of ferocious bangs against the wood? Dib didn't know nor did he want to find out so he made a swift turn as soon as he saw a crack in the wall to his left that was just big enough for him to fit through. It was darker, but he could still see and crawled through the passage as fast as his hands and knees would let him go. His lungs burned and his heart felt like it would explode from his chest. The erratic banging continued following him as if it were his own shadow. It wouldn't slow or speed up, just kept maintaining a constant speed.

"DIB!" It cried from behind.

Dib let out a scream and scrambled away, the boards beneath him shook from the weight and he feared they would collapse as they had done to Zim. The wooden boards thankfully remained in place, only moving from the force of weight, which was applied.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Dib cried out.

Tears of unimaginable fear streamed down Dibs cheeks and his chest seethed in pain. His vision became slightly blurred with the onslaught of tears and he couldn't wipe them away, he blinked them away and more wet, salty tears fell.

"DIB!" The raspy male voice cried again.

Dib couldn't reply, he could only whimper out cries of terror as he tried to make a greater distance between it and himself.

"Dib, please stop…I want you…I want you BAD!" The raspy voice gurgled.

Suddenly, ahead, Dib saw light flooding in through a circular pattern of cracks. It was moonlight. Dib knew that if he were to live he had to get outside those cracks.

"Come back Dib! I need you!"

Dib ignored the raspy voice and rammed his entire weight and added force to the pattern of cracks. They broke against the applied force and Dib fell through, landing on a soft fuzzy floor. A carpet. With a quick millisecond glance around the room Dib noticed a large sunroof on the ceiling and the moonlight shining down through the glass. Dib looked away from the ceiling and at the hole he had just come through, expecting the creature to jump out and maul him. No monster came form the hole and the raspy voice calling for him no longer made a noise because there was nothing there.

Dib backed away from the hole, catching his breath. He looked to his burning palm and gasped. The bubble had popped and now thick red blood oozed from his hand. He wasn't sure if that was good or not because he didn't think blood filled the inflamed wound. He looked around for something to wrap around his hand, but there was nothing in the room except for a red sofa on the opposite side of the room. He frowned and tore a piece of cloth from the arm of his trench coat and wrapped it around his palm, securing it with pressure from his hand since he couldn't tie it down with just one hand. He looked back to the hole in the wall and jumped back with a yelp. Red eyes glowed from the darkness of the hole glaring at the boy with utmost hatred and suddenly vanished into thin air.

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed that!  
I need some ideas for the next chapter...I am having major writer's block right now and Ideas are greatly welcomed! I might not use them, but they would help me write the next chapter. Thanks! 


	13. Death's End and New Beginning

Thank you, all, for your ideas for my story! I finally came up with an idea and I hope you like it!  
Well, on to Chapter 13! ENJOY!

* * *

The moonlight still shined above through the ceiling's window and Dib was currently shoving the large couch from one side to the other. He successfully covered the hole where he had come through from and sighed in relief, rubbing the back of his hand onto his forehead to wipe off sweat. Then he frowned and looked back to where the couch had been. There was a small hole in the floor and Dib walked over to it, squinting his eyes to peer into the dark hole. He couldn't see anything it was too dark, but he could hear a faint sound. He leaned forward, his ear closing in on the hole for a better sound. He froze as soon as he heard the horrifying sound of children singing. This time, however, there was something else accompanying the song…footsteps and laughter as though children were actually somewhere in the hole. 

_Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posy!_

"Shut up!" Dib shouted into the hole.

_Ashes, ashes we all fall down._

Something moved in the room behind Dib, it went unnoticed.

_We all fall down._

The singing stopped, but the laughter of children didn't and Dib bit his tongue to keep from shouting out again.

_THUMP!_

Dib jerked away from the hole with a yelp and spun around to face the couch. His heart pounded in his chest, something was in the hole…trying to get in. Dib wondered if it were the thing or a ghost of his fallen comrades.

_THUMP!_

The couch jumped forward, moving away from the hole as if it were doing so on its own accord. Dib jumped to his feet and raced over, pushing the couch back against the hole. He held it in place, feeling another pound on the couch.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Dib cried out, panicking.

The pounding stopped and for a moment Dib believed it truly gave up. That is, until the entire couch shot back into him, throwing him backward several feet. He was sent rolling to the floor, coming to a halt when the wall caught him. He climbed to his feet and crouched into a defensive position, staring at the couch. Anything could be behind it and Dib frantically looked from side to side, peering around every angle of the couch. He dropped his hands, thinking it vanished again, but froze when he heard a mushy wet footstep. _Why is it wet?_ Dib wondered, remembering that whenever this thing moved it sounded like it had just emerged from a body of water.

The sound of wet footsteps came closer, slowly, as if it were just trying to make the time suspenseful. Dib's eyes shot around the room and suddenly stopped at something on the floor at his feet. Dust had somehow collected and merged to form the number "1". Dib's stomach flipped and he felt a wave of nausea when the dust moved around from a wind that came from nowhere. The dust combined and made two words.

"Game Over?" Dib whispered, eyes widening.

_NO! This can't be it! Zim can't be dead…he has all the cool weapons! _Dib thought to himself in panic. Then he saw something black, a shadow, move across the room towards him. He screamed and ran. Out through the hole from which he came, and raced away on hands and knees. He heard the pounding from the creature behind him. The loud drumming noise behind him chilled his insides and made his legs and hands move faster. His hand hurt, but he paid no heed as he made turns and ducks as he maneuvered as fast as he could through the little tunnel in the attic.

"Oh Dibby! I need you!" It's deep, raspy voice snarled.

"Go away!" Dib cried, tears once again falling from his eyes.

He finally came to the place he last saw Zim. He saw the hole and took a chance, he fell right through. He landing hard on his side, looked around, no alien body. He wondered why the lights in the unfamiliar room were on, but didn't bother answering himself as he heard chilling laughter from above. He looked up and saw two red eyes amongst darkness, glaring down at him in a predatory way. Dib spin around, saw a door, twisted the knob, opened, and ran out shutting the door behind him and taking a step forward before a scream erupted from his mouth. The room was covered in blood. Blood was on the bed, the walls, and on the floor. In front of him was an arm, torn from its body. It was Zim's arm; Dib could tell from the three claws and the black glove. Beside the hand was a crowbar. The room smelled of rotting flesh, and had an unusual humidity in it.

"Z-Zim?" Dib whispered even though he knew Zim was dead.

_Where's the body? _Dib wondered even though he didn't want to see it. He maneuvered around the puddles of blood on the floor and walked around the room, scanning it. The room had no other door except the one he came through. He walked to the side of the bed and tripped over something. He looked down and jumped back, splashing up blood that he stepped on. He had tripped over Zim's pack, torn right off his back. The silver wires were sparking blue and red blood dripped off one of the wires ends.

"Oh God…What…what the heck is…why?" Dib mumbled, jumbling all his sentences together as he shivered, seeing one of Zim's ray guns next to the pack.

He spun around and stared at the door. There was endless clawing; scratching that was louder than it should've been. Dib whimpered and bit his tongue, harder than he should have and he tasted the small amount of blood in his mouth.

"Please, just leave me alone!" Dib whimpered.

The scratching continued and the door started moving inward only to be stopped by the paneling. The scratching stopped and the door was thrown opened. Dib screamed and jumped onto the bed, ignoring all the blood, and threw himself under the covers. It was dark, yet underneath the covers he felt, unbelievably safe. Then, something moved under the sheets. _What the heck was that? _Dib wondered, remaining still. He could hear something breathing and the movement of the bed as something began crawling closer to him. _Go away, go away! _Dib told them in his thoughts. Then he felt something cold and wet touch his cheek. He jumped up, throwing the sheets off the bed and jumped off. He fell into a puddle of blood, landing on his rump. He gasped when he saw the mangled green body of Zim.

"No…my god…" Dib mumbled.

Zim's stomach was opened and all his organs were gone. His eyes were staring at him, glazed over, and unblinking. His green skin was pale and sleek with water. The magenta shirt he wore was soaking and stained with blood. Dib looked to the opened door and sighed when nothing was there. Dib heard movement from the bed and turned back to see Zim was gone. His body had vanished and he looked to the floor. A trail of water headed to the door, but it was now closed. Should he check it out? Or is it the end of the game if he went to the door? There was nothing else he could do in a windowless and lightless room so he walked to the door. He opened it and the door gave a squeaking protest as it opened. Nothing was in the room and the lights were still on. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He felt something fall onto his head, it was wet and cold. He looked up and saw droplets of water falling from the hole in the ceiling.

"Game Over!" A raspy voice echoed throughout the room.

"NO!" Dib spun around and grasped the knob, twisted, pulled, locked. The door wouldn't budge. He looked up at the dark hole and saw the red eyes staring at him. He turned to the doorknob and pulled again. The door was locked, so Dib raised a leg and kicked. Nothing happened. Looking back up the eyes were gone. The water continued dripping onto his head. He heard shuffling from above and looked around the room, until his eyes stopped on a sharp looking piece of wood that had come off the ceiling. He raised it up and suddenly wondered if it would do anything. Zim had used ray guns and a crowbar and it didn't do a thing, so what would a measly piece of wood do?

_RIIINNNNG! RIIIIIINNNNG!_

Dib froze.

_RIIINNNNG! RIIIIIINNNNG!_

The ringing of a phone came from up above. He looked up and saw nothing, but heard the raspy breath amongst the constant ring of the phone he had hoped had been destroyed. Suddenly Dib was attacked as mounds of newspapers fell from the hole above. He covered his head expecting something to happen but nothing came and he peeked at the papers lying at his feet. They were cutouts of old news articles. One had a picture of crying children after their parents fell from buildings. There was another with a ladder that was next to a burning pile of rubble, which he found in the article to be a baby. Then the phone stopped ringing and Dib looked up at the gaping hole. There was a sharp hiss and a low, deep chuckle.

"Game Over." The voice said.

Dib's pained scream bounced off the walls of the house, echoing throughout the vacant building. The scream stopped with a sickening crunch of bones breaking and the horrible _RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP_ of flesh being torn then there was a silence that hung in the humid, musty air of the home. The lights in the house flickered and the phone rang.

_RIIINNNNG! RIIIIIINNNNG!_

A gentle, chilling song echoed through the home.

_Ring around the rosy!_

Children laughed together from somewhere inside.

_Pocket full of posy!_

Outside the moon was full and the sounds of an engine creeping near.

_Ashes, Ashes We all fall down!_

A yellow school bus parked out in the front of the house, the door cranked open with a suction sound and opened, and children stepped off, laughing. Ms. Bitter's glared out at them and looked to the house. A grin spread across her face.

_We all fall down!_

They entered the house.

THE END

…Or is it?

* * *

Even the ending has a cliffhanger, lol! I hope you enjoyed the story, I sure enjoyed writing it! I will **NOT** be having a sequel to this story.  
Thank you, everyone, for all your wonderful reviews! 


End file.
